Liverpool seek swift relief from mounting title pressure

LIVERPOOL: Ten days after blowing the chance to move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, Liverpool return to Anfield trailing Manchester City in the table when Bournemouth visit Merseyside on Saturday.

After posting a perfect record of 16 straight wins against opposition outside the top six to start the season, back-to-back 1-1 draws against Leicester and West Ham have opened the door to City and third-placed Tottenham to prolong Liverpool's 29-year wait to win the title.

Only Manchester United can boast more league titles than Liverpool's 18, but Jurgen Klopp's men must find a way of harnessing the desperation to end a drought of nearly three decades positively, rather than letting the nerves of what promises to be a thrilling run-in become a hindrance.

Tension is already apparent in the stands as much as on the pitch after the unexpected slip-ups of the past week.

"You get that feeling as well from the crowd and I think it's not really necessary at the moment," said talismanic defender Virgil van Dijk after the first of those points were dropped at home to Leicester.

"Obviously everyone wants to win so bad and that's what we want as well but sometimes you need to be very patient."

Klopp also admitted after being held at West Ham on Monday that his side need to "enjoy" the ride rather than fearing the consequences of missing out.



"It's not about pressure, it's about enjoying the situation you are in," said Klopp.

"We have 62 points, have lost one game in the whole season so far, which is very positive."

Klopp and Van Dijk have been vital to the turnaround in the club's fortunes over the past year, but they remain outsiders who have not been scarred by the near-misses over the years that have left Liverpool supporters even more fearful they could throw it away again this season.

Twice in the past decade Liverpool led at Christmas only to fall short in 2008/09 and 2013/14.
Lingard reveals Rashford rivalry driving Man United's power surge

Jesse Lingard says his friendly rivalry with Marcus Rashford will be the driving force behind Manchester United's bid to climb into the Premier League's top four as they prepare to face Fulham on Saturday.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has earned praise for inspiring his side's 10-match unbeaten run since replacing the sacked Jose Mourinho in December.

With victories in nine of those games, fifth-placed United have surged back into the race to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish.

United sit just two points behind Chelsea and can end this weekend in fourth place if they beat struggling Fulham at Craven Cottage and Maurizio Sarri's team lose at Manchester City on Sunday.

One of Solskjaer's most significant contributions following his arrival from Molde has been putting a smile back on the faces of his players.

Many of United's stars had feuded with the acerbic Mourinho and their performances dipped as a result.

Paul Pogba is the most obvious case, the France midfielder struggling badly under Mourinho but quickly showing his class in United's revival.



Lingard and Rashford were also reported to have feared their careers could stall due to Mourinho's volatile temperament.

Freed from their previous manager's shackles, the England internationals have been in fine form since Solskjaer took over as interim boss.

With nine goals between them since the Norwegian arrived, the good friends have given United's attack a more menacing look in recent weeks.

Rashford scored the first goal of the Solskjaer reign against Cardiff, while Lingard struck twice in that 5-1 rout.

Having netted the winner in United's 1-0 victory at Leicester last weekend, Rashford has now scored in six of his side's eight league games under Solskjaer.

And Lingard believes his good-natured competition with Rashford, including goal and assist targets for each player, has helped bring the best out of them.

"Marcus and me have been setting targets for each other to challenge ourselves," Lingard said.

"Obviously it's different aims, maybe in certain games it's how many shots, or this many touches in a game.

"It's just different random things, just to make you think and it's to kind of push each other because you want your friend to be successful as well.

"I'm not going to go into the amount of numbers involved because then everyone will know."

United's renaissance has sparked hopes of a memorable end to what had been turbulent season.

As well as competing for a top-four berth, United host Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday and face Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round later this month.